1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a printer device. More particularly, it relates to a printer device configured for printing only images satisfying certain characteristics such as to evade unneeded printing to the maximum extent possible.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a method for printing image data represented by natural images, the following method has prevalently been used.
As a first method, an input device for inputting image data is connected to a general-purpose computer, connected to a printer device, and image data read-in from the respective input devices into a computer are processed on the computer in a pre-set fashion into printing data which then are inputted to the printer device for printing. The input devices may be exemplified by a removable medium driver, a NTSC (National Television System Committee) image signal inputting substrate, a halide photo film scanner and a digital still camera.
In the second method, the input devices, such as digital still cameras or original readout scanners, are directly coupled to the printer device without the interposition of a general-purpose computer, and the printing data are inputted from the respective input devices to the printing device for effecting the printing.
The first method is explained specifically. Referring to FIG. 1, the system is made up of a host computer, referred to below as a computer 1001, a printer device 1002 and an input device 1003.
The input device 1003 may be enumerated by the aforementioned removable medium drive, such as read-only optical disc drive, a so-called CD-ROM drive, rewritable magneto-optical disc drive, such as so-called MD-DATA drive, inputting devices for image signals, such as NTSC, PAL (phase alternating by line), RGB, S-terminal signals, digital still cameras, scanners for a halide photo film, such as 35 mm film, so-called APS film having the magnetic information pertinent to an image, and an original read-out scanner.
The printer device 1002 may be such a device having a printer head 1004 for actual printing and a head driving circuit 1005 for driving the printer head.
The computer 1001 is mainly comprised of an interface 1006 for inputting image data from the inputting device 1003, a data processing unit 1007 for processing the image data as printing data, and a bidirectional printer interface 1008 for outputting the printing data 1007 to the printer device 1002. The data processing unit 1007 includes a device driver adapted to a variety of the inputting devices 1003, a printer driver adapted to the printer device 1002 for controlling the printer device 1002, and software applications controlling the inputting and working of the image data and also controlling the print output. These software applications execute the data processing by exploiting the data processing unit 1007.
The computer 1001 also includes, as a man-machine interface, a command device 1010, as inputting means, for inputting a command from outside, such as a display device 1009, a mouse or a keyboard. The computer 1001 also includes an image memory 1011, such as a hard disc, for storing image data inputted from the inputting device 1003.
The inputting device 1003 is connected to the interface 1006 within the computer 1001 and the bidirectional printer interface 1008 in the computer 1001 is connected to the printer device 1002 by way of interconnection.
For actual printing, the following operations are executed. That is, the software application of the computer 1001 and the device driver associated with the input device of the image data are actuated to drive the inputting devices 1003 via the interface 1006 adapted for inputting image data to cause the inputting devices 1003 to read-in the image data, which then is inputted to the computer 1001 via interface 1006.
The software application of the data processing unit 1007 executes image editing processing desired by the user on image data inputted to the computer 1001 based on the command inputted by the command device 1010 from outside. If image processing is to be executed simultaneously, the data processing unit 1007 in the computer 1001 executes computational processing to execute the required data processing.
If the image editing processing desired by the user is executed, and the image to be printed is decided, the printing operation is started. That is, the application software controls the printer driver to cause the data processing unit 1007 to execute each data processing for printing in order to convert the data into printing data. At this time, the computer 1001 grasps the state of the printer device 1002 via the bidirectional printer interface 1008.
The printing data, generated by conversion as described above, is constructed as a printer control command, and is outputted via the bidirectional printer interface 1008 to the printer device 1002. The printer device 1002 then drives the print head 1004 by the head driving circuit 1005 to generate a printing image on a recording medium for effecting the printing.
A specified example of the data processing in the above-described operation is the processing method shown in FIG. 2. In this figure, short slanted lines annexed to data flow indicating lines denote that signals being sent are 8 bit/color data. The RGB image data, inputted to an image data inputting unit 1012 of the computer 1001, is sent to an image data processing unit 1013 for processing if necessary. The image data is held in the image memory 1011 as an image file 1011a if need be. The RGB image data is sent from an image data processing unit 1013 to a printer driver 1014 controlling the printer device 1002.
The printer driver 1014 is mainly comprised of a RGB-CMY converting unit 1015, for converting the RGB image data into CMY printing data, a color correction unit 1016 for making color correction if need be, a black extraction under-color removing unit 1017, for extracting black in addition to CMY, an output gamma correction and gradation correction unit 1018 for correcting characteristics proper to the printer device, and a sharpness correction unit 1019 for executing e.g., edge processing.
Specifically, the RGB image data, sent from the image data processing unit 1013 to the printer driver 1014, is first converted into CMY printing data and corrected for color, and the color-corrected data then is converted into printing data also including black. In FIG. 2, the black printing data is denoted as K. The converted printing data is then corrected for characteristics peculiar to the printer device and edge-processed before being outputted to the printer device 1002. If a bi-level printer device, such as an ink jet printer device, regenerating the image by the presence or absence of the printing dot, is used as the printer device 1002, a bi-level coding unit needs to be inserted next to the sharpness correction unit 1019 of the printer driver 1014. Such bi-level coding unit need not be used if a printer device such as a sublimation type printer device representing the gradation within a printing dot is used as a printer device 1002.
Within the printer device 1002, there are provided an output characteristics converting unit 1020 for correcting output characteristics in meeting with the status of the printer device and for suppressing fluctuations ascribable to the printer device, the aforementioned head driving circuit 1005 and the printer head 1004.
Therefore, the printing data of CMYK, sent from the printer driver 1014 to the printer device 1002, is sequentially routed to the above-mentioned head driving circuit 1005 and to the print head 1004 to effect printing.
The second method also is explained. In the second method, the system is mainly comprised of a digital still camera 1021, as an inputting device, and a printer device 1022, as shown in FIG. 3.
The digital still camera 1021 is made up of an image pickup unit 1023 for imaging an object, a command device 1024, such as a shutter, for inputting a command from outside, an image memory 1025 for transiently storing an as-shot image, an image data processing unit 1026 for executing necessary data processing, and a display unit 1027 for displaying the as-shot image.
The printer device 1022 is mainly comprised of an output characteristics converting circuit 1028 for correcting output characteristics in meeting with the status of the printer device, a head driving circuit 1029 for driving a printer head 1030, and a printer head 1030 for actually printing the image.
The data transfer method for transferring data from the digital still camera 1021 to the printer device 1022 may be enumerated by a method consisting in interconnecting the digital still camera 1021 and the printer device 1022 over a wire, converting image data generated by the digital still camera 1021 into the printing data converted from the image data to transfer the resulting digital signals or analog image signals converted from the digital image signals, to route the resulting signals over the wire, and a method consisting in transferring the data over a wireless route by exploiting Ir-DA.
For actual image printing, the following operation occurs. The above-described digital still camera 1021 is fed with image signals of the object from the image pickup unit 1023 in the state of preparation for imaging, that is before the user thrusts a shutter to start the imaging. On these imaging signals, the image data processing unit 1026 has executed the correcting processing for the characteristics of the image pickup unit 1023 or the shooting conditions. The image, thus corrected, is displayed on the display unit 1027 to permit the user to confirm the imaging range of the object and the composition or layout. If there is provided an optical finder in place of or in addition to the display device 1027, the user also is able to make the above confirmation over the finder.
If then the user actuates the command device 1024, such as a shutter, the shooting operation is started. By issuing the imaging start command, such as by the shutter, the image data, inputted from the image pickup unit 1023 and corrected by the image data processing unit 1026 as to the characteristics of the image pickup unit 1023, is stored in the image memory 1025. The image data processing unit 1026 performs data compression, if need be, at the time of data storage.
If an image stored in the image memory 1025 is to be printed, the user actuates the the command device 1024, such as a shutter, to start the printing operation. When the printing operation is started, the image data processing unit 1026 reads out pre-set image data in the image memory 1025 and expands the image data, if need be, by way of converting the data for outputting the data to the printer device 1022.
Depending on the interfacing system between the digital still camera 1021 and the printer device 1022, the data is transferred to the printer device 1022 as digital image data or as analog image signals, over a wire or by wireless connection.
On the printer device 1022, correction and conversion responsive to the print outputting conditions at the time of printing are carried out by the output characteristics converting circuit 1028. Based on these data, the printer head 1030, driven by the head driving circuit 1029, prints an image on the recording medium.
If desired to edit, work or synthesize the image data, the user may execute desired processing by inputting a command by the command device 1024 as he or she checks the image displayed on the display device 1027. The image data processing can be executed within the digital still camera 1021.
For data processing in the above operation, there is a processing method shown in FIG. 4. In this figure, short slanted lines annexed to data flow indicating lines denote that signals being sent are 8 bit/color data. The RGB image data, obtained in the image pickup unit 1023, is sent to an image data processing unit 1026 for processing if necessary. The image data is held in the image memory 1025 if need be. The RGB image data is sent from the image data processing unit 1026 to the printer device 1022 via image data outputting unit 1031.
The printer device 1022 has, in addition to the output characteristics conversion circuit 1028, head driving circuit 1029 and the print head 1030, the mechanisms similar to those of the printer driver 1014 shown in FIG. 2.
Specifically, the printer device 1022 includes an image data inputting unit 1032, fed with image data from the digital still camera 1021 from the digital still camera 1021, a RGB-CMY converting unit 1033 for converting the RGB data into CMY data, a color correction unit 1034 for correcting the color if need be, a black extraction under-color removing unit 1035, for extracting the black in addition to CMY, an output gamma correction and gradation correction unit 1036 for correcting characteristics peculiar to the printer device, and a sharpness correction unit 1037 for executing edge processing.
That is, the RGB image data, inputted to the image data inputting unit 1032, is first converted into CMY printing data, corrected for color and converted into printing data also including the black. In FIG. 4, black printing data is indicated K. After correcting characteristics peculiar to the printer device, and edge processing, the resulting data is sent to the output characteristics conversion circuit 1028. If a bi-level printer device, such as an ink jet printer device, regenerating an image by the presence or absence of the printing dots, is used as the printer device 1022, a bi-level coding unit needs to be inserted next to the sharpness correction unit 1037 of the printer driver 1022. Such bi-level coding unit need not be used if a printer device such as a sublimation type printer device representing the gradation within a printing dot is used as the printer device 1022.
Thus, the CMYK printing data is sequentially routed via the output characteristics conversion circuit 1028 to the head driving circuit 1029 and to the print head 1030 to effect printing.
Meanwhile, the above-described printing system gives rise to the following inconveniences.
In the first method, various peripherals need to be provided and connected to the computer, after which a device driver suited to the respective peripherals need to be built into the computer, by an extremely laborious operation. It is also necessary to install an application software into the computer in order to execute the processing such as image inputting, editing, working, synthesis, correction or printing, as desired by the user. It is also necessary to set the application software and the device driver so that the peripherals can be controlled by the application software, again by an extremely laborious operation. For peripherals that cannot control the application software, it is necessary to provide an application software configured to control the peripheerals, such that the user has to handle plural application softwares and to transfer data between these softwares, likewise by an extremely laborious operation.
If a so-called desk top or tower computer is used as a computer, it is necessary to provide a wide space for establishing connection to the peripherals, while the handling is complicated.
The above-mentioned application software executes the processing desired bvy the user, such as editing, working, synthesis, correction or printing, based on specified commands from the user, so that it is necessary to issue commands sequentially for the image under consideration.
That is, the user has to specify the values of the variable elements of each processing, referred to below as variable parameters, so that the user has to grasp the meaning of variable parameters in each processing and the degree of the variation of the image quality as the results of processing corresponding to the widths of the variations.
Also, in the above application software, there is provided a universal input/output function for coping with the general image inputting device and the printer device, while there is also provided the universal function of handling general images without specifying handled image data in connection with the processing function to be executed. Thus, the method for use, contents of the functions and the operating methods are inherently extremely difficult and hence can hardly be mastered by general users.
In the second method, the processing such as image inputting, editing, working, synthesis, correction or printing, depends on the function of the inputting device, with the processing capability being limited. Also, the inputting device is required to have the function of direct coupling to the printer device, such that the processing possible differs significantly and the operating process also differs from one inputting device to another, thus imposing use difficulties on the user. In the current state, film scanners for halide photos cannot be used as an inputting device, such that the capability of printing an image of a film for a halide photo is desired. In addition, the input device and the printer device are interconnected in a one-for-one correspondence, such that it is impossible to process and print image data from plural input devices.
Also, in the above method, the processing desired by the user, such as editing, working, synthesis, correction or printing, is executed on the basis of specified commands from the user, so that it is necessary to issue commands sequentially for the image in question.
That is, in the above method, the user has to specify variable elements for each processing, referred to below as variable parameters, and to grasp the meaning of the variable parameters for each processing and the degree of variation in the image quality consequent upon the processing for the variations.
That is, in any of the above methods, the user has to check each image and to issue a command for each processing. Specifically, the user checks that, even for an image that cannot meet pre-set quality even on correction, the image is not up to the pre-set quality, and subsequently proceeds to disposal or the like measures.
Specifically, if there are contained such image data in plural image data which is not focussed and which is not freed of defocussing even on correction, it is necessary in the conventional method to issue commands for each processing to confirm from the processing results that the image in question is not in meeting with the pre-set quality as to focussing and that defocussing cannot be dissolved even on correction.
This operation is extremely laborious and possibly leads to printing not in meeting with the pre-set quality or to printing of unneeded images.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a printer device whereby a desired image can be printed easily, only an image in meeting with pre-set characteristics is printed and printing of unneeded images can be suppressed to the minimum.
In one aspect, the present invention provides a printer device including an image data inputting unit for converting digital image data and/or analog image data inputted from outside by analog/digital conversion into first digital image data, an image correcting unit for correcting the first digital image data, if need be, to generate second digital image data, a printing outputting processing unit for performing printing/outputting processing for converting the first digital image data and/or the second digital image data into printing data for printing in an image printing unit, and the image printing unit for performing printing/outputting on a recording medium based on the printing data, at least one type of the first digital image data being inputted from the image data inputting unit to the image correcting unit. It is verified in the image correcting unit whether or not pre-set characteristics of inputted pre-set first digital image data are within a pre-set range and the pre-set first digital image data is corrected, if need be, if the pre-set characteristics are within the pre-set range, to generate the second digital image data. The first digital image data and/or the second digital image data are converted in the printing outputting processing unit into printing data, and printing/outputting is performed in the image printing unit based on the printing data.
That is, in the printer device of the present invention, only image data of at least one type of the first digital image data, whose pre-set characteristics have been verified to be within a pre-set range, are corrected, if need be, into second digital image data, which are printed. If the first digital image data are such data in which focal point characteristics are offset within a pre-set range and the sufficient image quality can be obtained subject to correction, the focal point characteristics of the first digital image data are automatically decided in the image correcting unit to be within a pre-set range. Thus, the first digital image data are automatically corrected to second digital image data, which is then converted to printing data. The printing data is printed to form a printed image.
Heretofore, the processing of the above process is confirmed one-by-one by the user who then issues a command. Ther process is, therefore, extremely cumbersome. This processing is carried out automatically in the printer approximately of the present invention to facilitate printing of a desired image.
In the printer device of the present invention, a plurality of types of the first digital image data are inputted from the image data inputting unit in a pre-set order to the image correcting unit, and the processing of verifying whether or not pre-set characteristics of the first digital image data are within a pre-set range and performing required correction in the image correcting unit, converting the data into printing data in the printing outputting processing unit and performing printing/outputting in the image printing unit is sequentially performed on the plural types of the first digital image data in the inputting sequence.
By so doing, only the portion of the plural sorts of the first digital image data whose pre-set characteristics have been verified to be within a pre-set range are sequentially corrected, if need be, to generate second digital image data, which is printed. There is no necessity of confirming the plural sorts of the first digital image data for printing, such that only an image satisfying pre-set characteristics can be printed selectively.
The inputting order of the plural sorts of the first digital image data to the image correcting unit may be a pre-selected sequence or a reverse sequence thereof, for example, a pre-specified sequence or a reverse sequence thereof if there are plural sorts of the images in the CD-ROM and the image sequence is pre-set. The inputting order may also be a sequence as specified by the information annexed to the image data, such as the header information. The information annexed to the image data may be serial numbers, input numbers or dates of photographing. If the inputting order is pre-set, as in the case of a scanner for a 35 mm film, such order may be used. If random inputting is possible, the random inputting order may also be used.
That is, in the printer device of the present invention, printing can be realized in a printing order suited to the objective of printing by setting the inputting sequence of the image data in the printing order suited to the objective of printing.
When printing the plural sorts of the first digital image data, the numbers of prints can be pre-set for the respective first digital image data. For example, it suffices if printing of all first digital image data one-by-one is set on power up to print the first digital image data one-by-one, the number of prints is pre-set and a pre-set number of proints are printed in the respective pre-set numbers, the number of prints is pre-set for each first digital image data to print the data accordingly, or if the number of prints is stored in the information ancillary to each first digital image data to effect the printing accordingly.
That is, in the printer device of the present invention, the the number of prints of each of the first digital image data can be set individually or collectively to enable the number of prints to be printed as required according to the objective of printing. Since the same first digital image data are printed in this case in succession in a required number of prints, any difference in the image quality is diminished if the image quality is affected by environmental changes during printing.
If, with the present printer device, pre-set characteristics of the pre-set first digital image data are outside the pre-set range, the processing of correction, conversion to printing data or printing outputs is not performed. By so doing, the first digital image data which, if corrected, cannot give an image of sufficient quality, is not printed, thus suppressing needless printing to the minimum.
With the present printer device, if pre-set characteristics of the pre-set first digital image data are within the pre-set range, however, the pre-set first digital image data are substantially uniform over the entire first digital image data and are concentrated in a specified area in a pre-set range, preferably the pre-set characteristics are verified not to be within the pre-set range.
Also, with the present printer device, if the luminance histograms, as pre-set characteristics of the pre-set first digital image data, are within the pre-set range, but are concentrated in a specified area in the pre-set range, and moreover are concentrated in the vicinity of a specified value in the pre-set range, preferably the pre-set characteristics are verified not to be within the pre-set range.
In this case, if pre-set characteristics of the pre-set first digital image data are within a pre-set range, however, the first digital image data are of extremely offset characteristics, as when the luminance is offset excessivley towards the high luminance side, that is towards the high level side, no printing need be made, thus suppressing the printing of an image not leading to a sufficient image quality to suppress the printing of unneeded images to the minimum.
If, in the printer device of the present invention, having an image displaying outputting unit for displaying/outputting the first digital image data and/or the second digital image data, the pre-set characteristics of the pre-set first digital image data are within the pre-set range, however, the proportion of the size of the first digital image data in the possible display area of the image displaying outputting unit is smaller than a pre-set value, or the proportion of the size of the first digital image data in the possible printing area of the image printing unit is smaller than a pre-set value, the pre-set characteristics are verified not to be within the pre-set range.
If, in the printer device of the present invention, having an image displaying outputting unit for displaying/outputting the first digital image data and/or the second digital image data, the pre-set characteristics of the pre-set first digital image data are within the pre-set range, however, the size of the first digital image data is larger than the possible display area of the image displaying outputting unit, the size of the first digital image data is larger than the possible printing area of the image printing unit or the size of the first digital image data is larger than the possible correction area of the image printing unit, the pre-set characteristics are verified not to be within the pre-set range.
By so doing, if the pre-set characteristics of the pre-set first digital image data are within the pre-set range, but if the first digital image data is extremely small in size, it is possible not to carry out the printing, thus suppressing printing of an image of insufficient quality to suppress unneeded printing to the minimum.
In the present printer device, further including inputting means for inputting a command from outside and a controller for controlling the image data inputting unit, image correcting unit, printing outputting processing unit, image printing unit and the image displaying outputting unit, if pre-set characteristics of the pre-set first digital image data are verified not to be within the pre-set range, the controller preferably causes the image displaying outputting unit to indicate that the pre-set characteristics of the pre-set first digital image data are not within the pre-set range.
If, after the controller has caused the image displaying outputting unit to indicate that the pre-set characteristics of the pre-set first digital image data are not within the pre-set range, the controller causes the image correcting unit to discontinue the correction unit to discontinue the correction of the first digital image data, and different types of the first digital image data are inputted to the image correcting unit, the processing of verifying whether or not the pre-set characteristics of the first digital image data are within a pre-set range, correcting the image data if necessary, conversion of the image data into printing data and printing/outputting may be carried out in succession.
It is also possible for the controller to cause the image displaying outputting unit to make a display prompting a command from outside after the controller has caused the image displaying outputting unit to indicate that the pre-set characteristics of the pre-set first digital image data are not within the pre-set range.
In this case, if pre-set characteristics of the first digital image data are verified not to be within a pre-set range, the user is able to confirm this to give a command to make corrections within the possible correction range as later explained or to give a command to proceed to the processing of the next first digital image data.
Thus, a display can be made, as the display for causing the image displaying outputting unit to make a display prompting a command from outside, for prompting a command for discontinuing the processing of correcting the pre-set first digital image data, conversion to printing data and printing/outputting. If the processing of correcting the pre-set first digital image data, conversion to printing data and printing/outputting is discontinued, and if different types of the first digital image data are inputted to the image correcting unit, the processing of verifying whether or not pre-set characteristics of the first digital image data are within a pre-set range, correcting the image data if necessary, converting the image data to printing data and printing/outputting can be executed in succession.
Also, a display can be made, as the display for causing the image displaying outputting unit to make a display prompting a command from outside, for prompting correction only of the portion of the first digital image data whose pre-set characteristics are within a pre-set range.
Moreover, as the display for causing the image displaying outputting unit to make a display prompting a command from outside, a display can be made for prompting a command for correcting the pre-set first digital image data by an input from outside.
If, as the display for causing the image displaying outputting unit to make a display prompting a command from outside for a pre-set time, display is made for prompting a command for correcting the pre-set first digital image data by an input from outside and, failing an input from outside, a display can be made, as the display for causing the image displaying outputting unit to make a display prompting a command from outside, for prompting a command for discontinuing the correction of the pre-set first digital image data, conversion to printing data and printing/outputting and a display prompting a command for correcting only the portion of the pre-set first digital image data whose pre-set characteristics are within the pre-set range.
If a command for discontinuing the processing of correcting the pre-set first digital image data, conversion of the image data to printing data and printing/outputting is given from outside within a pre-set time as from the time of display on the image displaying outputting unit of the pre-set first digital image data inputted to the image correcting unit, or if a command for discontinuing the processing of converting the pre-set second digital image data to printing data and printing/outputting is given from outside within a pre-set time as from the time of display on the image displaying outputting unit of second digital image data corrected from the first digital image data, the processing is preferably discontinued, and different types of the first digital image data are inputted to the image correcting unit, it is preferred to perform the processing of displaying the first digital image data in the image displaying outputting unit, checking whether or not pre-set characteristics of the pre-set first digital image data are within a pre-set range, performing required correction, performing conversion to printing data and printing/outputting.
In this case, if pre-set characteristics of image data of pre-set first digital image data are verified to be within a pre-set range such that each processing for printing is going on, it is possible for the user to discontinue the processing for printing to suppress the unneeded printing.
If, within a pre-set time as from the time of display of the pre-set first digital image data on the image displaying outputting unit, a command for correction of the first digital image data, conversion of the image data to printing data and printing/outputting is given from outside within a pre-set time as from the time of display on the image displaying outputting unit of the pre-set first digital image data inputted to the image correcting unit, or if a command for discontinuing the processing of converting the pre-set second digital image data to printing data and printing/outputting is given from outside within a pre-set time as from the time of display on the image displaying outputting unit of second digital image data corrected from the first digital image data, this processing is preferably performed based on a command from outside.
Of printed image data, among at least one type of the first digital image data and at least one type of the second digital image data corrected from the first digital image data, preferably the information contents of the image data are updated and a flag and/or the information are appended for indicating that the image data are already printed.
If at least one first digital image data is again printed, preferably the information contents of the first digital image data or the second digital image data corrected from the first digital image data and the flag and/or the information indicating that the image data are already printed are confirmed. This enables discrimination of the image data once printed to suppress unneeded printing to the minimum.
The printer device of the present invention includes an image data inputting unit for converting digital image data and/or analog image data inputted from outside by analog/digital conversion into first digital image data, an image correcting unit for correcting the first digital image data, if need be, to generate second digital image data, a printing outputting processing unit for performing printing/outputting processing for converting the first digital image data and/or the second digital image data into printing data for printing in an image printing unit and the image printing unit for performing printing/outputting on a recording medium based on the printing data, as mentioned previously. At least one type of the first digital image data is inputted from the image data inputting unit to the image correcting unit. It is verified in the image correcting unit whether or not pre-set characteristics of inputted pre-set first digital image data are within a pre-set range and, if the pre-set characteristics are within the pre-set range, the pre-set first digital image data is corrected, if need be, to generate the second digital image data, the first digital image data and/or the second digital image data are converted in the printing outputting processing unit into printing data and printing/outputting is performed in the image printing unit based on the printing data to form a printed image.
That is, only data of at least one type of the first digital image data, pre-set characteristics of which have been verified to be within a pre-set range, are occasionally corrected to generate second digital image data which is used for printing to enable facilitated printing of a desired image.
In the printer device of the present invention, a plurality of types of the first digital image data are inputted from the image data inputting unit in a pre-set order to the image correcting unit, and the processing of verifying whether or not pre-set characteristics of the first digital image data are within a pre-set range, performing required correction in the image correcting unit, converting the data into printing data in the printing outputting processing unit and performing printing/outputting in the image printing unit is sequentially performed on the plural types of the first digital image data in the inputting sequence.
That is, in the present printer device, only the data of the plural types of the first digital image data, pre-set characteristics of which have been verified to be in the preset range, are sequentially corrected, if need be, to generate second digital image data, which is printed, thus facilitating printing of a desired image.
In the present printer device, processing of performing corrections, converting the data into printing data and printing/outputting is not performed if pre-set characteristics of the first digital image data exceed the correctable range of the pre-set characteristics, thus suppressing unneeded printing to the minimum.
The printer device according to the present invention includes a printer device includes an image data inputting unit for converting digital image data and/or analog image data inputted from outside by analog/digital conversion into first digital image data, an image correcting unit for correcting the first digital image data, if need be, to generate second digital image data, a printing outputting processing unit for performing printing/outputting processing for converting the first digital image data and/or the second digital image data into printing data for printing in an image printing unit and the image printing unit for performing printing/outputting on a recording medium based on the printing data.
If at least one type of the first digital image data being inputted from the image data inputting unit to the image correcting unit, it is verified in the image correcting unit whether or not pre-set characteristics of inputted pre-set first digital image data are within a pre-set range. The pre-set first digital image data is corrected, if need be, if the pre-set characteristics are within the pre-set range, to generate the second digital image data, and the first digital image data and/or the second digital image data are converted in the printing outputting processing unit into printing data, printing/outputting is performed in the image printing unit based on the printing data to form a printed image.
That is, only data of at least one type of the first digital image data, pre-set characteristics of which have been verified to be within a pre-set range, are -occasionally corrected and turned into second digital image data, which is printed, thus facilitating the printing of a desired image.
Also, in the present printer device, plural types of the first digital image data are inputted in a pre-set sequence from the image data inputting unit to the image correcting unit, where the processing of verifying whether or not pre-set characteristics are within a pre-set range, occasional correction, conversion to printing data and printing/outputting is performed on the plural types of the first digital image data in the inputting sequence.
That is, in the present printer device, only the data of the plural types of the first digital image data, the pre-set characteristics of which have been verified to be in the pre-set range, are sequentially corrected and turned into second digital image data, which is printed, to facilitate the printing of the desired image.
If, in the present printer device, the pre-set characteristics of the pre-set first digital image data are verified not to be within the pre-set range, the processing of correction, conversion to printing data and printing/outputting is not performed, thus suppressing needless printing to the minimum.